By Alicia Benjamin
We are proud to announce that one of our regular freelance writers, Angela Haigler, has recently published a collection of essays by women writers who share intimate stories about their mothers. The anthology, “Mama Stories: Gifts From Our Mothers,” includes essays by 13 writers, including Haigler, that recall memories and reflections of their relationships with their mothers.
Haigler, who received her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Queens University of Charlotte, started a writing project to nurture and celebrate the culture of Black women. A 2020 grant from the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte helped Haigler fund the workshop which included emerging women writers over 40. Haigler wanted to encourage them to work on their essay writing and share their stories about their mothers with the public via the anthology.
The grant, along with other funding, provided Haigler with the resources to create “Mama Stories,” which Haigler also edited. After experiencing some personal trials, including the death of her mother, Haigler put the book project on hold, but picked it back up after a couple of years. The book was released in January.
Some of the essay titles in the 341-page book include, “Mama Was Sanctuary,” “Breathe,” “Pass the Mic,” and “Payback’s a B****!”
The “Mama Stories” writers, other than Haigler, are: Amy Cotton, Kirsten Ussery, Lucy A. Sams, Tanny Swan, Tomi Banks, Rita Samuels, Monica Brown Nash, Tiffany Grantham, Yaya S., Vesta Joi, Kandace Grant and Mary Sanders.
“This project has been a labor of love, and the end result is beautiful inside and out,” Haigler said. In the Introduction to the book, Haigler writes about what drew her to this project. “Our mothers are the ones whose absence or presence has a tremendous impact on our self-concept and well-being,” she wrote. “They lay the foundation, provide the blueprint. It’s a huge responsibility.”
Haigler said she wanted the writers to be open and feel comfortable enough to write truthfully about their mother-daughter experiences.
“I already knew that the relationship between mothers and daughters is a delicate one. … It was very important to me for the participants to know this book was not created to be a ‘hallelujah all mothers are wonderful’ book,” Haigler said. “I wanted the authors to have the freedom to express their stories and share their truth…for them to be completely honest, without judgment.”
The story Haigler shares about her mother evolved as she was working on the project. After her mother died, she said she changed the topic of her essay.
“I was going to take a humorous view of our relationship. But when she died, I felt a strong desire to share my feelings about what it was like in those final two weeks of her life,” Haigler said. “My mother was a force who touched everyone she came in contact with. Her presence is missed. I hope to spread knowledge about hospice services, dementia and being a caregiver.”
Haigler is planning a second volume of “Mama Stories.” Writers interested in participating can reach her on Instagram @angelamhaigler or via her website, angelamhaigler.com.
Haigler said she hopes readers will “immerse themselves in each story” to find what resonates with them and think about their own “Mama Stories.”
Writers Share Personal Stories About Their Mothers in New Anthology
By Alicia Benjamin
We are proud to announce that one of our regular freelance writers, Angela Haigler, has recently published a collection of essays by women writers who share intimate stories about their mothers. The anthology, “Mama Stories: Gifts From Our Mothers,” includes essays by 13 writers, including Haigler, that recall memories and reflections of their relationships with their mothers.
Haigler, who received her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Queens University of Charlotte, started a writing project to nurture and celebrate the culture of Black women. A 2020 grant from the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte helped Haigler fund the workshop which included emerging women writers over 40. Haigler wanted to encourage them to work on their essay writing and share their stories about their mothers with the public via the anthology.
The grant, along with other funding, provided Haigler with the resources to create “Mama Stories,” which Haigler also edited. After experiencing some personal trials, including the death of her mother, Haigler put the book project on hold, but picked it back up after a couple of years. The book was released in January.
Some of the essay titles in the 341-page book include, “Mama Was Sanctuary,” “Breathe,” “Pass the Mic,” and “Payback’s a B****!”
The “Mama Stories” writers, other than Haigler, are: Amy Cotton, Kirsten Ussery, Lucy A. Sams, Tanny Swan, Tomi Banks, Rita Samuels, Monica Brown Nash, Tiffany Grantham, Yaya S., Vesta Joi, Kandace Grant and Mary Sanders.
“This project has been a labor of love, and the end result is beautiful inside and out,” Haigler said. In the Introduction to the book, Haigler writes about what drew her to this project. “Our mothers are the ones whose absence or presence has a tremendous impact on our self-concept and well-being,” she wrote. “They lay the foundation, provide the blueprint. It’s a huge responsibility.”
Haigler said she wanted the writers to be open and feel comfortable enough to write truthfully about their mother-daughter experiences.
“I already knew that the relationship between mothers and daughters is a delicate one. … It was very important to me for the participants to know this book was not created to be a ‘hallelujah all mothers are wonderful’ book,” Haigler said. “I wanted the authors to have the freedom to express their stories and share their truth…for them to be completely honest, without judgment.”
The story Haigler shares about her mother evolved as she was working on the project. After her mother died, she said she changed the topic of her essay.
“I was going to take a humorous view of our relationship. But when she died, I felt a strong desire to share my feelings about what it was like in those final two weeks of her life,” Haigler said. “My mother was a force who touched everyone she came in contact with. Her presence is missed. I hope to spread knowledge about hospice services, dementia and being a caregiver.”
Haigler is planning a second volume of “Mama Stories.” Writers interested in participating can reach her on Instagram @angelamhaigler or via her website, angelamhaigler.com.
Haigler said she hopes readers will “immerse themselves in each story” to find what resonates with them and think about their own “Mama Stories.”